The History of Purley’s River Estate
One of only two large inter-war plotland sites in Berkshire, Purley’s River Estate has a significant history. It began life in 1935 as a holiday destination suitable for camping and caravanning in usually idyllic former parkland by the Thames. However, very soon many of the plots gained more permanent accommodation, particularly after war broke out in 1939. Entrepreneurship thrived, resulting in a multitude of private businesses and shops over the years, as did a strong community spirit.
This talk is accompanied by lots of images of the estate and its people, including its famous range of adapted dwellings such as railway carriages and buses.
This is the final of three talks in the Houses & Estates Talks Series. The other talks take place on 13th July and 10th August. You may book tickets for individual events or for all three talks in the series for a reduced price.
After the talk, tea/coffee and cake will be available (included in the price). Pre-booking is preferred, but you can pay on the door, if there are spaces available.
Image: Kevin McCormack
To book, scroll down.
Date
- Thu 14 Sep 2023
- Expired!
Time
- 14:00 – 15:30
Tickets
- £5.00
Location
- 2nd Floor, Reading Central Library, Abbey Square, Reading, Berkshire, RG1 3BQ
Organiser
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The Centre – Berkshire FHS
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Email
booking@berksfhs.org.uk -
Website
https://dev.berksfhs.org/branches/
Speaker
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Catherine Sampson MScCatherine is a veteran family historian. Her own family history research is mainly concentrated in East Anglia and the North-East.
She loves history across all periods, both the very early and the more modern. She is a keen social historian and regularly gives talks across Berkshire and the surrounding counties.
Catherine is Chairman and Projects Coordinator for Berkshire Family History, and a former chairman of Project Purley, Purley’s local history society. She has published several histories of her own family and in 2010 edited “Purley in Old Images”. She is currently working on a new book on the history of Purley’s River Estate.
